Tuesday
Knowing that we would be spending quite a few hours in the car today, I got myself up at 630 for a run. Based on zero medical knowledge, I figured that sweating out my cold would work. My lung capacity allowed me to run for 25 minutes. I was pretty happy with that. Anyone looking for a good place to train should look into Newfoundland. Everywhere in Newfoundland is uphill. There are hills everywhere and they present a good challenge. Running along the water is a favourite of mine. I love running along Lake Huron when visiting mom and dad. Running along the ocean is a special treat. The water was exceptionally calm this morning. The sun was shining. My heart was pumping. Life is good!
We wanted to make a decent start for our drive to Gros Morne so we could have the maximum time at the park. We were packed up before breakfast. Enjoyed a very large meal, thankfully packed with protein, grabbed a coffee at Canvas Cove Bistro and headed for Gros Morne.
For a long time, Gros Morne has been a destination on my "To Visit" list. I am looking forward to attempting kayaking for the first time in my life. I am feeling a bit anxious about the thought of it but will take the chance!
We arrived in Gros Morne National Park about 230 this afternoon. The scenery is magestic. We found our home for the next couple of nights at Gros Morne Cabins. We are in Cabin 19 overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
After eating a late lunch of salad stuff we had purchased at Foodland we headed out to hike The Costal Trail. This trail consisted of a rocky beach and fantastic views. Still no animal sightings beyond a bunch of Canadian geese and some seagulls. After our hike, we were determined to see a moose or bear. Kim drove us through a section of the provincial park at a snails pace. Our only success was a bunny which I refused to look at out of principle.
Dinner was at a place called Java Jacks. The food was great but the service was a bit slow and I was getting really tired. You know when tiredness hits you like a brick wall? That's what happened to me last night. But I still had laundry to do. Time to freshen up the confines of my suitcase. Laundry service was in a cabin close by. There was no one else there so I didn't need to watch over it. Kim and I enjoyed a drink and we watched a bit of TV before heading off to sleep. Ready for our day of adventure in Gros Morne.
Wednesday
Up and ready for our kayaking adventure. We headed out to Norris Point about a 10 minute drive from Rocky Harbour. Norris Point is located at the base of tree covered mountains and the vistas were stunning. Our kayaking tour was out of Gros Morne Adventures. Being thoroughly confused as to what day of the week it was, I had inadvertently booked our tour for Thursday instead of Wednesday. Fortunately, Pete was able to accomodate Kim and me in a two person kayak. This worked out well as Kim was the competent navigator taking up the back of the kayak. Admittedly I was nervous to try kayaking. The employees repeatedly assured us that we would be fine, we would not tip, that they had only had one person tip all summer. So we suited up. First off, the life jacket. This made my day as I was sized Small/Medium. Go figure. Next we donned our Beluga Wear. This flatteringly name piece of clothing is basically the skirt that elastisizes around your waist and the part of the kayak where you sit. We hopped in and were given the briefest of instructions about paddling, steering, and what to do if we tipped. After this, we were pushed out to sea! Paddling for the first few minutes, Kim and I found ourselves at the back of the pack. Bob, the other leader, gently suggested a way that I could improve my technique.
Our group stopped at the site of an old settlement where 12 to 15 families would have lived. Houses were relocates to Norris Point when Newfoundland joined confederation. We continued to paddle along the coastline. Pete spotted a bald eagle in the tree tops. He was overlooking our journey. We spotted many jellyfish and the herring were jumping in front of the kayak. A beautiful waterfall was also a part of the tour. Our guides told us that whales and sharks may be seen on our journey but we saw neither. On our return journey, of which Kim and I were the fearless and ferocious leaders, we had the privilege of witnessing the bald eagle swoop in and snag a fish lunch. We tracked him as he settled on the side of the rock face to enjoy his meal. Although his body was well camouflaged by his surroundings his head was an obvious marker so we would not loose sight of him.
After the eagle had his meal, Kim and I found ourselves at the back of the pack once again. We were so easily distracted by the bald eagle. The weather started blowing up for rain. And rain it did. We experience rain coming at us in a horizontal manner. The water became choppy and Kim was scared for her life (and hopefully mine). Not wanting to be swallowed by whales or eaten by sharks that we know would appear if we capsized, we buckled down to business, kept sensible heads, and thought logically about the means and measures need to be taken in order to get to shore. *here it was important for us to channel our fur trading forebears. We asked things like, "does anyone know where we are going?" And, as the waves were crashing ferociously over the bow of the might ship, "what do we do?" The obvious and sensible things were to stop paddling, scream, and laugh our asses off. Thank God for Pete. Ah, Pete. He successfully helped us navigate our way to shore. My major concern here was whether or not I could make a graceful exit from the kayak. It wasn't necessarily graceful but I will have you know I did not fall. I felt completely energized and thrilled after this kayaking adventure.
Neither Kim nor I felt at all confident enough to bring our cameras with us on our kayaking adventure. Fortunately there was a member of our group that brought a waterproof camera with him. I handed him my email address and hopefully will get scenery pictures of our adventure later on.
Since we had worked up such an appetite we headed to Justin Thyme for lunch. A great and delicious cafe in Norris Point. We fell ravenously on our lunches and enjoyed some hot coffee. We kayakers earned our meal.
The afternoon was spent at Western Brook Pond on a boat tour. Once upon a time this pond used to be a fjord. The fjord no long exists but what remains is a breathtaking body of water surrounded by mountainous rock formations. The water is very pure. Wildlife is scarce but does exist. Pictures will never do Gros Morne justice but I still took a lot. Our boat tour was two hours. In order to get there we needed to take a 3K hike. This hike took us through forest and bog. Our only wildlife sighting was a seagull. We were still on the lookout for the elusive moose. Our tour guide told us there are 4 moose per square kilometer in Newfoundland.
After the walk back to the car were ready for dinner and relaxing. Due to my keen eyesight I happened to notice two moose in a field on the drive home. I alerted Kim and we were able to turn the car around and get a good look. Although they were a good distance away we were able to get some good pictures with our zoom lenses. Success at last.
We enjoyed a later dinner at a local restaurant while reminiscing about our kayaking adventure. Some of Kim's memories are a slight bit different from the way I remember the adventure. Either way, what a grand day. What a wonderful time spent at Gros Morne. It should be the patriotic duty of all Canadians to make the trip to Gros Morne National Park Newfoundland, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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